Group decision-making and self-management in the treatment of psychiatric patients

Examined the effects of a treatment program of patient decision making and self-management upon the self-concept, locus of control and behavioral adjustment of psychiatric patients. It was hypothesized that patients exposed to the experimental treatment would reveal significantly higher levels of self-concept, lower levels of external control and more acceptable behavioral adjustment than patients who did not receive such treatment. Of the three dependent variables, only behavioral adjustment revealed significant changes after treatment. Ss who participated in the decision-making and self-management program displayed substantial gains in their level of behavioral adjustment, while the remaining Ss did not. Nonsignificant trends toward greater levels of self-concept and internal control also were observed in these Ss.